


Natural Remedies

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [297]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-19 23:13:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4764587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where Clint is sick and taking pills.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Natural Remedies

Phil walked by the breakfast counter in the kitchen, swiping the cup of coffee in Clint’s hands. He was rewarded by an indignant “Hey!” from the archer. Phil dumped the coffee into the sink without another word and tossed Clint an orange. 

“Eat something. I haven’t seen you eat anything solid since you got back.” Phil reminded him before he was out the door. He didn’t mention the noticeable weight loss the archer has gone through and the apparent paleness - and its not even the kind of pale that someone gets for staying too long inside, its the kind where its actually medically concerning - not to mention the way Clint’s been acting. 

He’s been very dependent on drugs lately. It was normal for SHIELD agents to be given prescription drugs after a mission - antibiotics, something to help them sleep, those kind of things - but it was only administered once every mission unless the wound suffered was a fatal one. But Clint had been going to the med bay every day since his last mission, which was two weeks ago, to get some kind of pill from the doctors, and SHIELD protocol prevents Phil from knowing what exactly Clint’s being given unless it was considered by the doctors a threat.

Phil guessed maybe he should be glad Dr. Sanders still refused to tell him the kind of drugs Clint took because that meant that Clint was still okay.

But that didn’t change the fact that Clint was starting to worry not only him, but the rest of the Avengers. So Phil has taken it upon himself to take proper care of Clint. Whether he realized it or not. 

—

The thing was though, Clint noticed the change with how Phil was acting toward him. The pats on the back when he walked by, the casual questions of “Have you eaten yet?” and then eating with him in the mess hall, the simple way he acted like he cared so much. Clint wasn’t stupid, he found out that Phil knew he’s been taking something. He doesn’t know that the drugs were for Clint’s throat infection though. 

Still, Clint wanted to milk this.

It’s not rare for Phil to show compassion for his assets, but lately Clint’s been getting a lot more of it. He even started to think that maybe, just maybe, Phil’s finally seen that Clint was someone he could actually give a chance and this was his way of saying so.

A bigger part of Clint’s brain told him that that wasn’t possible and Clint’s just indulging his fantasies again. The more logical explanation to Phil’s recent behavior would be that Phil thought he had a sort of drug addiction and since Clint refused to drink his pills around people, Phil was technically stopping a scandal from breaking out by spending more time with him. That part of Clint, the logical part, kept him grounded. 

Still, Phil caring was Phil caring, no matter what the actual reason for it might be.

—

Everything came to a standstill when Mr. Sanders diagnosed him fit as a fiddle. Clint no longer had to take the antibiotics which, in Clint’s mind, meant that Phil no longer had to care for him.

So he might or might not have started a shouting match with Dr. Sanders that caught the attention of passersby and, within a few minutes, Phil.

“What is going on here?” Phil demanded as he shut the doors behind him, closing off the fight from the onlookers.

“Agent Barton is being stubborn.” Dr. Sanders glared at Clint.

“Sanders is being an ass.” Barton bit back.

“Okay. That doesn’t give me context. I already knew that about both of you.”

Clint snorted, and Dr. Sanders rolled his eyes at Phil. “Nice, Phil.” He nodded.

“Tell me what happened, from the beginning.” When Dr. Sanders raised his finger to object, Phil continued, “I don’t need to know everything. Just what lead to the screaming.”

“As you know, I’ve been administering a drug for Agent Barton to help with a condition he was experiencing. Now that its gone, I see no reason for him to continue taking said drugs. When I refused to give him more, he started yelling at me.”

“Which might not have been the best idea.” Phil narrowed his eyes at Clint.

“No. It wasn’t. But Sanders isn’t listening to me. I’m saying it still hurts.”

“There is nothing in the findings that can prove that. You are fully healed, and to continue taking the drugs could have untold consequences on your body.”

“Then maybe your machines are broken! Check them. And test me again, because I’m telling you, it’s not gone, and that little pill is the only thing that’s keeping the pain away.” Clint countered, not willing to back off.

“I’m afraid that you’ve become dependent on the drug, Barton.” Sanders pointed out.

“I have not! You’re not listening to me! I’m telling you that I still need those pills. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Okay. How about this?” Phil started. “Dr. Sanders, I’m sure there’s another cure for whatever Clint’s ailment is. Something natural. Something that doesn’t involve him taking whatever pill this is. You get assured that he’s not in any way, shape, or form addicted to anything, and Barton can relax.”

“I suppose I could-”

“No.” Clint interjected. “That won’t work.”

“What do you mean? I haven’t even suggested anything yet.” 

“It still won’t work.” Clint insisted.

“How would you know? Natural remedies have been around far longer than lab bred medicine have. It might be overlooked in the recent years, but when it comes down to it, Natural remedies are the basics, and we’ll always circle down to it.”

“It just- It won’t be the same.” 

“Does it matter? As long as we cure you, I don’t see the difference. You do want to be cured, right?”

“Of course, I do. Don’t be stupid. I just feel more comfortable with the pill.” 

“And I’m telling you, you’re developing a dependence on it. I need to cut off your supply. So if you’re not addicted, then how do you explain the desperate grasping at straws you’re doing now?”

“I need it because since I started taking it, he started caring about me.” Clint pointed at Phil, but glared at Sanders. “Now, I don’t know what he thinks is happening, but I don’t care, because new flash, he actually cares about me. I know it’ll only last while I keep downing those horrible tasting pills and if me downing pills one after the other is the only way for him to notice me, then so be it.” 

Dr. Sanders jaw dropped and he snapped it shut again. He turned to Phil, who looked just as shocked, if a little flushed, then back to Clint, who was now staring at his boots. 

Dr. Sanders adjusted his glasses. “Right. Well, I’m going to leave and let you two sort this out.” He grabbed a few folders on his way out, shaking his head at stupid grown men and their feelings. 

He was out of his office and was about to turn a corner when he touched his breast pocket to find that it was empty. He groaned and turned back to retrieve the pen he left at his desk but when he opened the door, it was to find Phil Coulson pinning Clint Barton against his table and necking him. 

“Seriously? I was literally gone for five seconds.” They both sprang apart in a heartbeat. Dr. Sanders walked towards his desk and grabbed his pen, throwing a dirty look at both of them. “Animals. Both of you.” He muttered to them.

“Cockblock.” Clint muttered back.

“This is my office.” He stated simply. “If anyone should be offended, it should be me.”

“Clint, let’s just go back to the tower.” Phil suggested with a grin.

As they were on their way out, Dr. Sanders sat behind his desk again and told them, “No exchanging of saliva. You both waited years. You can wait another week.” 

Dr. Sanders tried not to grin at the way Clint groaned out “Seriously?!”

He mostly failed.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/128723258611/im-too-easily-distracted-seriously-i-think-i)


End file.
